The Coldwell

An Arrogant Boss

The woman on the phone asked if everything was alright with Vane because she wasn't responding. She seemed to have been frozen, but after a few seconds, she managed to speak.

"I'm here," Vane said.

"Could you come in tomorrow at the earliest to start your new job? Mr. Damasco has chosen you as his personal assistant."

"Excellent, I'll be there bright and early."

"You must present yourself in impeccable attire, including your hair, nails, and footwear. Everything about you must look as best as possible, as Mr. Damasco tends to notice these things. You will be a part of his image. You should keep your luggage in your car at all times in case there's an unscheduled trip. Mr. Damasco hates surprises. Believe me, I wish you the best of luck."

The woman on the phone ended the call after saying this. Vane knew that Dante was a demanding boss, as she had heard from references, but she didn't know to what extent.

"Did you get the job?" Tanya asked impatiently.

"I did," Vane replied with a big smile.

The Coldwell women applauded, but Darius didn't join in. He hoped they wouldn't accept her for the job due to her inexperience. An idea was swirling in his head. He was looking for a way to be close to her and protect her.

That night, Vane had to drink a hot tea to be able to fall asleep. She didn't want to go to her first day of work looking disheveled.

She decided to wear a formal navy blue dress with short sleeves and a high neckline, but it was above the knee, showing off her well-toned legs.

She pulled her hair into a high ponytail and took a strand to wrap it around, giving her an elegant look. She chose medium-heeled shoes that made her look more stylish and comfortable.

She washed her hair as usual with a mixture of roses and strawberry essence. Her favorite scent to wear on her body was vanilla.

She picked some of her more subtle pieces of jewelry – small earrings, a chain with a discreet pendant, a few rings, and a watch that matched her outfit.

She grabbed her designer bag and, after a quick breakfast and bidding her family goodbye, she got into her car. She had exchanged cars with her best friend, giving her own car in exchange for the simpler one. The Coldwells didn't drive regular cars; they were all flashy. She couldn't show up at the company in one of those.

Her friend's car was plain but functional. Due to nervousness, she had forgotten her suitcase and immediately returned for it. The housekeeper was already waiting at the entrance. After picking it up, she headed to the corporate office.

Upon arrival, she quickly went to the floor where the main office was located. There was quite a commotion, and she felt like she had arrived early, but other employees were already there. It was 7:45 AM. What time did they start?

"Miss, the boss is furious. He has an important meeting in an hour, and you were late. I'm sorry; they didn't specify your starting time. In my previous job, it was at 8:30," Vane explained.

"That may be the case elsewhere, but here, work starts at 7:30 sharp. The boss is very punctual in his work."

"More than punctual, I'd say he's opportunistic. Who starts at this hour?" Vane's comment expressing her displeasure was heard by a disgruntled Dante, who had just arrived.

"I apologize, sir, I..."

"Don't bother trying to fix things. I heard you perfectly well. I find it quite audacious of you, on your first day, to call me opportunistic. Instead of uttering nonsense, come to my office, and I'll explain your job."

Vane followed him to his office. As she turned to glance at the girl she had been speaking to, she thought she saw a hint of sympathy in her eyes.

"Take a seat. I have a very important meeting in an hour. The girl you just met is my secretary, and you'll need to work closely with her. You will be responsible for organizing all of my events, meetings, and, in general, managing my schedule. You'll need to coordinate with her. I just want to warn you: I don't tolerate mistakes."

"I apologize again, sir. I'll do my best."

"I hope so. And as for the negative comment you made earlier, I don't want to hear such comments again. Keep your opinions to yourself. The secretary will brief you on your responsibilities within this company."

"I will, sir. With your permission?"

"I haven't told you that you can leave. You can't do so until I say so."

"I'm sorry."

They spent a couple of minutes during which Vane felt her boss's scrutinizing gaze on her.

"You may leave."

"May I be excused?" Vane asked.

"You came out of that office alive! Ha, ha, ha," a passing girl whispered.

Vane felt even more nervous. Her boss, as handsome as he was, appeared to be just as arrogant. She knew this was just the beginning, and if she wanted to succeed, she would need to adapt to it.

The secretary began to explain her tasks, and they were focused on organizing a meeting that would take place in a few minutes. Then, a beautiful girl stormed into the room without knocking.

She was very tall, with delicate and beautiful features and a voluptuous body. Without saying a word, she entered the office. Vane found it strange because Dante Damasco didn't usually have girlfriends. She thought maybe she was one of his current flings.

Inside the office, they could hear shouting. It was the girl.

"No, Dante, I won't leave until we talk. You can't just use me and throw me away like an old rag. I love you. You let me fall in love with you. You can't push me away," she protested.

"Get out of my office. I've talked to you countless times," Dante replied sternly.

Dante grabbed the girl by the arm and forcibly removed her from the office. The secretary had already called security, and they were waiting for the girl outside the office.

"Get this woman out of here. She's banned from entering this corporation. I can't believe I'm surrounded by incompetents. None of you could stop her from entering my office?" Dante berated his staff.

No one dared to respond; they all remained silent.

"As I said, you're all good-for-nothings. Back to work. Or do you plan to stand there just watching?" Dante turned around and slammed the office door shut.

Everyone quickly returned to their work.

During the meeting, both the secretary and Vane were present. Dante meant business, and his presence was imposing.

Vane had the feeling that her boss was observing her from time to time. Perhaps he was evaluating her performance.

That day, Vane realized she would be leaving the corporation long after normal working hours. Her boss appeared to be a workaholic, and she got the impression that he was obsessed with it.

In the afternoon, Vane went down to the employee cafeteria. It seemed like a decent place, and the menu they offered was good, with various dishes to choose from. She ended up selecting a hamburger with French fries. In her home, it was f*******n to eat such things, as they only consumed diet foods without fat.

You could say they ate a variety of foods, but they modified some ingredients. In the Coldwell mansion, being overweight was a cardinal sin and inconceivable, especially for the grandmother. On that day, without her scrutinizing gaze, Vane indulged in a delicious burger with all its fat. When she tasted it, she found it absolutely delightful.

"Now that the boss can't hear us, I'll tell you some things, just don't tell anyone," the secretary said.

"Don't worry, I won't," Vane replied, her curiosity piqued, just like all the Coldwell women.

"As you've seen, Mr. Dante is a man so attractive that even the mighty Apollo would be envious of him. He has everything a woman could desire in a man – wealth, and not just any wealth, but a fortune that dwarfs any man's. We can't deny that for all his attractiveness, he's equally arrogant, but that's part of his charm."

Vane listened with curiosity as the secretary continued.

"He's got it all, he's a lucky man. I just want to warn you, our boss tends to woo any beautiful woman he encounters, turns her into his lover, and for a while, makes her believe she's the most important woman on Earth. The women feel confident in his love because he gives them expensive gifts. Then, one day, he abandons them. Women fall for his charm, but I think his Italian charisma plays a big part."

Vane thought the girl was going to tell her something new, but she already knew all of this, even if the secretary was unaware of it.

"And how does that concern me?" Vane asked, raising an eyebrow and looking at her intently.

"Girl, tell me who wouldn't? I think we all would, even though we know we'd suffer later. But you're very young, and at your age, your heart can't handle such cruel rejection."

"I'm not doing that. It's my first day on the job. Don't scare me with that, woman, or I might run away."

"Ha, ha, ha, it's not that bad."

The two girls returned to work immediately. As they reached the floor where the boss's office was located, they saw him pacing outside like a caged lion.

"Can you please tell me where the hell you've been?"

"We went to have lunch, just like our colleagues. In fact, we still have 15 minutes of break time left. Is there something you need?" Vane responded, not staying silent this time.

Dante glanced at his expensive watch and quickly realized the girl was right. There were still a few minutes left before they should resume working.

"You're right; we still have a little time. But since you're here, you might as well start working," he said.

"Of course, sir," the secretary replied, and Vane walked reluctantly to her workstation.

"Miss Smith, I need you to thoroughly review all the documents related to Harrigan Corporation. We signed a contract with them a couple of years ago, and now they're trying to terminate the agreement and switch to the Coldwells. We won't allow that."

Vane was surprised by the situation. Darius was most likely now in charge of the corporation belonging to their family. She wondered what he was trying to achieve by persuading the Harrigans to break their alliance with the Damascos. She would have to ask about it.

"You, Miss Sanders, come to my office. We'll go over my schedule for tomorrow," Dante commanded.

"Right away, Mr. Damasco," Vane said as she picked up the electronic agenda and followed him.

Dante took his seat, and Vane stood before his desk.

"Well, then? I assume Miss Smith has already informed you about my schedule," Dante stated.

"That's correct, sir. Tomorrow, you have several meetings."

Vane provided him with the meeting times, and he listened intently while maintaining eye contact.

"Perfect. Now, go out. In an hour, I want you to bring me some coffee. You must be careful to serve it properly, and Miss Smith will instruct you on how to do it. While she's reviewing those documents, you mustn't disturb her. She needs to concentrate to avoid any mistakes."

"Of course, sir. I won't bother her once she informs me how to prepare your coffee," Vane said as she turned to leave. Dante's voice stopped her.

"Miss Sanders, there's no need to knock on the door when you bring the coffee. If you bring it at the specified time, I'll know it's you."

At the designated time, Vane prepared the coffee as the secretary had instructed. She hurriedly made her way to her boss's office, opened the door, and walked in as he had requested.

As she did so, she encountered an unpleasant surprise. The coffee spilled onto the expensive carpet when Dante turned to look at her. He appeared surprised and furious.

"Damn it! Why the hell did you come in without knocking on the door?"